Here are some suggestions to help make birthdays memorable and happy events for everyone involved. Keep It Simple When you’ve already got a houseful, it can help to limit the number of guests at a birthday party. A general rule of thumb for singletons is to invite one child per year of age—for example, three guests for a three-year-old, four for a four-year-old. That ratio is generally also appropriate for multiples....

For: Kids 9 and upRequired: Just your time. Perhaps your young negotiators would have found a way for the colonists and the British to resolve their differences without warfare – and now they can tell you how they would have accomplished this historic feat. Ask your kids to choose a historical event that they’ve been studying. They might want to conduct additional research to refresh their memories or to add to their stash of knowledge about the happening....

Effort: Quick and easy — no sewing required Materials: Blue jeans Blue sweatshirt Telephone cord Rubber chicken Instructions: Have your child dress in the sweatshirt and jeans. Wrap the telephone cord around his body, and give him the rubber chicken to carry. Voila! Chicken cord on blue! Other details: Make sure the cord is wrapped around the body, not around the neck or head. More Costume Ideas

20 to 30 minutes Materials Light cardboard or heavy paperGlue or tapeMagazine picturesFelt pens Directions Extensions Make a set of play activity cards for when you are traveling or waiting in a restaurant.Make a set of weekend cards that are geared to fun with the whole family.

Jewelry There are various types of miscarriage and pregnancy loss-related jewelry, ranging from angel necklaces to footprint earrings. Something that incorporates this theme makes a thoughtful gift for any woman who is grieving the loss of her baby. Keeping something like this close to her heart may make a mother feel like she is honoring her baby in some way as well. For a quality piece of jewelry or another special trinket, check out these online retailers:...

Classic names are often newer and more modern-sounding than their traditional cousins. Some classic names are derived from traditional names, or may be pet forms of these names. Names that began as trendy or popular names that survived on the most popular lists for more than one decade also fall into this category. Classic boys’ names include: The following are classic girls’ names: Pros and Cons of Traditional and Classic Names Studies have shown that children who carry the more commonly used traditional or classic names tend to be teased less by their peers than those with unusual names....

You always have the option of using disposable sippy cups, but this option isn’t the best option for the environment or your wallet. Luckily, there are several ways to keep them sparkly clean. Here are some tips on how to clean and sterilize your child’s sippy cups. Cleaning Tips A few basic cleaning tricks are the first step to keeping yucky residue from building up in sippy cups (or any cup for that matter)....

White paper Paint Spoons Plastic cling wrap Directions

What Is Co-Sleeping? Though many may assume that co-sleeping means that parents and their baby share the same bed, Dr. William Sears stresses that definition is a bit too narrow. Sears, a well-known pediatrician, and author of many popular parenting books defines co-sleeping as sleeping within arm’s reach of the baby. So, as noted above, this includes having the baby in their own sleeping space but within the same room, which is the sleep practice advocated by the American Academy of Pediatrics....

Write from the heart Students wonder what they “should” write, as if there is a right or wrong answer to the essay question. What colleges really want is a thoughtful, well-organized essay presented in a clear and honest way. Since the essay showcases writing ability, you might want to help with proofreading. Plan ahead As tedious as the applications seem, the worst thing your child can do is confront them only a few days before deadline....

Empty milk cartons (any size will do) Tape Scissors Construction or contact paper in six different colors Glue Clear contact paper Directions

Another aspect to consider is how many age-appropriate tasks are too hard for your child within a particular skill area. If your five-year-old can string beads, assemble a jigsaw puzzle, build a fort out of Legos, and button her shirt, but can’t use scissors, does she truly have a fine motor delay? Also, a child who is delayed in one area is quite likely to have other delays as well....

Materials Liquid tempera paint or soap paint (see Frosty Soap Painting) Newspaper Heavy plain paper Directions

The IVF process is fairly straightforward—but just like humans, it continues to evolve as new research is done on how to give parents the best possible chance of having a baby. Some of this research has involved the transfer of the embryo into the uterus, and whether that should occur three or five days after the eggs and sperm are combined in the lab. Prior to any transfer, however, the eggs and sperm are collected....